Cessna 210K accident near Austin, Texas, April 15, 1983
On April 15, 1983 at about 2:39 am local time, a Cessna 210K, registered N8234M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Austin, Texas (Robert Mueller airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1983 · about 2:39 am local time
- Place
- Austin, Texas · Robert Mueller · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210K · all 210Ks on the register
- Registration
- N8234M · registry record · serial 21059234
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKING OFF (AT 1740) ON HIS RETURN FLT, THE PLT GOT A WX BRIEFING & CHECKED THE NOTAMS, BUT DID NOT REFUEL THE ACFT. THERE WERE NO NOTAMS FOR THE SAN MARCOS ARPT. DURING ARRIVAL AT SAN MARCOS, TX, NO RWY LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE. THE PLT CIRCLED FOR 15 TO 20 MIN UNTIL HE VERIFIED THE RWY LIGHTS WERE INOP, THEN DIVERTED TO AUSTIN,TX. HE STATED THAT ON FINAL APCH TO LAND, THE ENG LOST POWER WITH THE L MAIN TANK INDICATING 1/3 FULL & THE R TANK 1/4 FULL. HE STATED HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS BUT WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENG. DURING THE LANDING ONTO A BOULEVARD, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED & THE R MAIN GEAR SEPARATED. A PASSING VEHICLE RAN OVER THE SEPARATED GEAR WHICH RUPTURED ITS FUEL TANK. THE PLT TOLD THE FBO THAT HE MADE THE APCH USING THE R TANK, THEN WHEN HE LOST POWER, HE SWITCHED TO THE L TANK & BACK TO THE R TANK. LATER, HE STATED HE MADE THE APCH USING THE L TANK. THE ARPT MANAGER AT SAN MARCOS SAID A NOTAM WAS CALLED IN ON 1/25/83 THAT THE RWY LIGHTS WOULD BE INOP INDEFINITELY, BUT NO RECORD OF THIS CALL WAS AVAILABLE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 961 hours in all; 821 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 851 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,720 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1983; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLU Monroe LA at 11:40 pm
- Destination: San Marcos TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 5,006 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N8234M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.